Self-adjusting garter



July 22, 1947.

I N. MORTON SELF-ADJUSTING GARTEB Filed June 14, 1944 INVENTOR NAOMIMORT BY in? 02% ATTORNEY Patented July 22, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE SELF-ADJUSTING GARTER Naomi Morton, New York, N. Y.

Application June 14, 1944, Serial No. 540,207

6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in self-adjustinggarters.

The garters generally worn by women are unsatisfactory in that there isno arrangement for shifting the support of the hose as the wearer standsup and sits down. For this reason there is a tendency for the hose to bepulled and become shifted and distorted over a-short period of time.

This invention proposes a self-adjusting garter which is characterizedby a cloth strip for attachment upon the bottom edge portion of someundergarment, and supporting a rigid link, It is proposed to engage astrap through this link and to provide this strap with garter grippingmembers for engaging the top of the hose. With this arrangement when a,person sits down and stands up there will merely be a relative shiftingof the rigid link in relation to the strip and this will better transferundesirable stresses to the hose.

More specifically, the invention proposes certain improvements in aself-adjusting garter as briefly outlined. An improvement is proposed inthe way in which the rigid link is supported. Additional improvementsare proposed in the construction and relationship between the rigid linkand strap which is provided with the stocking gripping members.

Another object of the invention is the construction of an article asmentioned which 'is simple and durable and which maybe manufactured andsold at a reasonable cost.

For further comprehension of the invention, an'd'of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which theVarious novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is an illustration of a, self-adjusting arter constructed inaccordance with this invention and shown in use.

Fig. :2' is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken onthe line 2-2 ofFig. 1.

Fig. 3 isan0ther illustration similar to Fig. 1 but disclosing'amodifiediormof the self-adjusting garter.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical sectional view taken on theline 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the rigid linkarrangement shown in Fig.3.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the cloth strip used for supporting therigid link.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary enlarged detailed elevational view of a portionof the strap of the garter.

The self-adjusting Lgarter, in accordance with this invention, is used.in combination with an undergarment to having a bottom edge portion Hlocated slightly above the top of ones stockings 12. Each garterincludes a cloth strip 14 bent upon itself to form a loop (see Fig. 2).The ends of the cloth strip '14 are attached to said bottom edge portion'Il so that said loop extends downwardly.

A rigid link I5 engages through the loop of the cloth strip 14. .A strapi6 engages through the link 15. Conventional stocking gripping membersI] are mounted upon the ends of the strap 1B. In the particular designof the selfadjustinggarter disclosed, the rigid link i5 is in the natureof aring. 'The cloth strip l4 preferably includes elastic threads so asto have elastic qualities.

The self-adjusting garter is used by engaging the stocking grippingmembers 11 to the top of ones stocking, as illustrated in Fig. 1. Thesegripping members I! should be so positioned that the section of thestrap [6 to the back of the rigid link 15 is shorter than the section ofthe strap 16 to the front of the rigid link I5. The parts are soillustrated in Fig. 1. Withthis arrangement the :hose may be supportedinthe "best possible way. Then the rigid link 15- will move the leastamount alon'g thestrap 16 when aperso'n -sits d'own andstands up. Notwisting tendencies will be communicated to the stocking I 2.

In Figs. 3-7 inclusive a mo'difiecl form of the invention is disclosedwhich distinguishes from the prior formin several respects. in this formof the invention the cloth strip I4 is provided with severalopenings2 llin its end portions. The bottom edge portion I i of the garment 10 isformed 'with-a series of complementary openings 2| spaced to align withthe openings 20. A-lace 22 is engaged through the openings 20 andthrough certain of the openings 2| for holding the strip '14 in selectedpositions along the bottom edge portion 11' of the undergarment H]. Acover strip 23 is attached upon the inner face of the undergarment l0and extends along the bottom edge portion II and is secured in positionby stitche 24 along the top and ends so as to form a pocket 25 intowhich the upper end of the strip 14' engages.

The strap I6 is formed with a series of openings 26 along its lengththrough which a cord or lace 2! is laced to provide a plurality ofloops.

A rigid link l engages through the loop of the strip M. This rigid linkl5 has parallel straight top and bottom sides connected by curved ends.A tube 28 is mounted upon the bottom side of the rigid link l5. Whenthestrap I6 is engaged over the tube 28, one loop of the lace 21 isengaged beneath the tube 28, as illustrated for example in Fig. 4, sothat shifting of the strap IE will be limited to the distance defined bysaid loop of the lace 21. In this way the strap Hi will be limited toshift through a preselected 'two parts of said strap on either side ofsaid link amount which is sufiicient to prevent undue stresses frombeing communicated to the stockfitting into openings in said strap andbeing adjustable in length by selectively knotting the lace ends,

4. In combination with an undergarment having a bottom edge portionslightly above the top of ones stocking, a cloth strip bent upon itselfing, provided that the strip I4 is at a proper location along the bottomportion ll of the garment ID.

positions along the bottom edge portion II.

In other respects this form of the invention is similar to thatpreviously shown and like reference numerals identify like parts in eachof the several views.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of myinvention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to theprecise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to allchanges and modifications coming within the scope of the invention asdefined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with an undergarment having a bottom edge portionslightly above the top of ones stocking, a cloth strip bent upon itselfto form a loop and attached at its ends upon and depending from saidbottom edge portion, a rigid link engaging through the bottom of saidloop, a strap engaging through said link, stocking gripping members onthe ends of said strap, and said cloth strip being adjustably attachedon'said bottom edge portion, said strap being provided with .a cordlaced through spaced openings thereof, forming several loop portions forengaging beneath said link limitin shifting of the strap through thelink.

2. In combination with an undergarment hav-' ing a bottom edge portionslightly above the top of ones stocking, a clothstrip bent upon itselfto form a loop and attached at its ends upon and depending from saidbottom edge portion, a rigid;

link engaging through the bottom of said loop, a strap engaging throughsaid link, stocking gripping members on the ends of said strap, saidstrap being provided with a cord laced through spaced openings thereof,forming several loop portions for engagin beneath said link for limitingshifting of the strap through the link, where said above mentioned clothstrip ha openings,

said bottom edge'portion has a series of complementary openings, andthere is a lace engaged through these openings for holding said clothstrip in selected positions.

3. In combination with an undergarment having a bottom edge portionslightlyabove the top of ones stocking, a cloth strip bent upon itselfto form a loop and attached at its ends upon It is for this reason thatthe'strip' I-4- is adjustably mounted to be shifted to selected to forma loop and attached at its ends upon and depending from said bottomedge, a rigid link engaging through the bottom of said loop, a strapengaging through said link, stocking gripping members on the ends ofsaid strap, and means for limiting shifting of said strap relative tosaid loop, comprising a cord laced through spaced openings formed insaid strap forming several loop portions selectively engageable beneathsaid link.

5. In combination with an undergarment having a bottom edge portionincluding a pocket reinforcement slightly above the top of onesstocking, a cloth strip bent upon itself to form a loop for having itsends attached to said bottom edge to depend therefrom, a rigid linkengaging through the bottom of said loop, a strap engaging through saidlink, stocking gripping members on the ends of said strap, and means foradjustably attaching the ends of said strip to said bottom edge portionsat the side of said pocket reinforcement.

6. In combination with an undergarment having a bottom edge portionincluding a pocket reinforcement slightly above the top of onesstocking, a cloth strip bent upon itself to form a loop for having itsends attached to said bottom edge to depend therefrom, a rigid linkengaging through the bottom of said loop, a strap engaging through saidlink, stocking gripping members on the ends of said strap, and means foradjustably attaching the ends of said strip to said bottom edge portionsat the side of said pocket reinforcement, said ends being formed withspaced openings selectively alignable with a series of similarly spacedopenings formed in said bottom edge portion, said means, comprising alace en- .gageable through the aligned openings of said strip and bottomedge portion.

NAOMI MORTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Walter Mar. 23, 1926

